Wilbert Jones

Broke into league as a raw rookie with 1969-70 Miami Floridians and played through ABA's final year of 1975-76; Known throughout ABA as one of league's most athletic rebounders; Spent most of ABA career in relative obscurity with the hapless Memphis Pros and Memphis Tams; Finally signed with Kentucky for 1974-75 season and helped Colonels to long-awaited ABA title in 1975 ABA Playoffs; brother of fellow ABA player Caldwell Jones (the two briefly played as teammates on the 1975-76 Kentucky Colonels); 17th in ABA history with 17,511 minutes played; named to 1975 ABA All-Defense Team with Kentucky; played two seasons in NBA after 1976 merger (with Indiana Pacers for 1976-77 and Buffalo Braves for 1978-78)

From Jim O'Brien'sComplete Handbook of Pro Basketball:
Led NAIA in rebounding (23.9 rpg) in senior season, at same school where his seven-foot brother Major Jones has enrolled as highly-heralded freshman . . . School was out on Wilbert in first year with Miami Floridians, but he's come into his own as boardman with Memphis . . . Can really sky, but lacks the muscle to really dominate boards in pros . . . Even so, he's one of the ABA's best rebounding forwards . . . Shooting is improving - in 1971-72 season he hit 47.5 percent from floor and 75 percent from free throw line and averaged almost 15 points per game . . . Credited some of his improvement to Bailey Howell, who played for Babe McCarthy in college and instructed Memphis players in rebounding during training camp last year . . . ."He taught me to keep moving on the offensive board so I can't be blocked out," Jones said. "He also gave us a drill, jumping at the basket as high as we could without losing our balance when we came down, still keeping ourselves in position." . . . "The coaches stress that the game is won or lost on the boards," added Jones, "and I just try to do my best at the job." . . . Plays respectable defense. Is a very consistent performer.

GP

Min

FGM

FGA

FG%

3PM

3PA

3P%

FTM

FTA

FT%

TReb

AST

PF

Stl

Blk

Pnts

RPG

APG

PPG

Career ABA Totals

566

17511

2878

6188

.465

12

84

.143

1138

1551

.734

4622

1141

2014

297

206

6906

8.2

2.0

12.2

ABA Playoff Totals

29

936

142

306

.464

0

0

.000

39

47

.830

216

81

118

--

--

323

7.4

2.8

11.1

ABA All-Star Totals

1

10

1

3

.333

0

0

.000

0

0

.000

3

0

2

--

--

2

3.0

0.0

2.0

Thanks to John G. Schmitz and Dick Engelberg for their contributions to this tribute page.